


Seas of Stories

by Schneezed



Category: Persona 3, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Bookstore, First Date, Fluff, M/M, flirt, pegokita
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-04-27 22:53:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14435880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Schneezed/pseuds/Schneezed
Summary: Crushes are named as such for a reason - they're never easy to deal with. And yet, Akira Kurusu wasn't done trying. Not by a long shot.





	Seas of Stories

“It's okay - you can do this." I wasn't sure how many times I'd chanted that exact phrase in the past minute alone. 

After moving to Shibuya, I’d begun exploring the city on my days away from school, and slowly fell in love with it. One day - after a particularly tiring day at Shujin Academy - I’d gotten off at the wrong stop. With my next train not for an hour, I decided I’d look about this new area. That’s when I stumbled across a small alley full of shops and stalls. All of them seemed to be self-started businesses. It was quaint, quiet, and cozy. However, I had a favourite store almost instantly.

“Seas of Stories.” I read the sign aloud. Shrugging my bag back onto my shoulder, I entered the store with a jingle from the door’s bell alerting the man behind the counter. He has medium length blue hair, a blank expression, and a surprisingly effective work ethic. 

That was Minato Arisato - my kouhai. My cute little bookseller. My crush. 

“How many times does that make it? It has to be at least two dozen now.” He took a quick glance at me before speaking. It wasn’t surprising that he’d gotten use to my frequent visits. Especially since his exaggeration was only off by one. But how could I stay away? The entire place had that new book smell, accompanied many new and foreign books. If anything, my obsession was helping with my English, what with how much I was reading nowadays. 

“Oh, come on! You love me really.” I responded playfully. 

“I love that you keep us in business, sure.” Minato took a break from organising the bookshelf behind him, now leaning on the surface beside the cash register. 

We had a routine at this point - I’d flirt, he’d rebuttal, we’d joke about and I’d end up buying a book I didn’t even need. There was even one time where I’d tried asking him on a date to Leblanc, getting nervous, and pretending it was a business proposition. At least we have a consistent buyer for our coffee beans now. 

I don’t think he knew why I kept coming back. But today, he’d know. It was time; fireworks season had finally rolled around. Meaning it was the perfect time to ask Minato on our first date. So long as he accepted, that is. 

Then again, maybe I shouldn’t, maybe this was a mistake. I loved coming here. If I asked him out, I could mess things up. No more late night retreats. No more rainy days in the reading corner after Minato told me about his newest stock. If I don’t risk it, we might never be together. If I do risk it, he might never want to see me again. And here I thought I was finally ready. But the festival is tonight - I can’t back out now. It’s okay, I can do this. 

“So, are you enjoying the last book you bought?” 

“I finished it. What can I say, I’m speedy.” I replied with a chuckle at the end. I’d always been a quick reader; the action in stories was always hidden behind a thousand miles of dialogue and description, but I never wanted to miss anything. So I simply learnt to read faster, and faster, and faster. 

“I’m starting to worry about you.” 

“Huh? Why’s that?”

“I mean, you can’t have a life if you’re getting through a seven-hundred page book in just a couple days.” Minato smirked, resting his head in his hands. I jokingly gawked at his comment and earned a joyous chuckle from the younger man. That laugh, I don’t think I could ever tire of it. 

These were the moments I think I loved most - when he’d let his walls down and just smile. When we first met, Minato was a lot colder. Although his sarcasm clearly hasn’t dumbed down even a little. I wonder why he was so closed off at the start? Then again, meeting new people is a terrifying experience for everyone. Maybe Minato was just a little more scared than everyone else. I can’t exactly blame him in a city like Shibuya.

“But seriously, I’m glad you enjoyed it, it’s one of my favourites.” Minato responded in a more sincere tone. “What did you think of the ending?” 

“It was tense - I don’t think a book has ever made me sweat before.” While I was trying to impress him, it was still true. A man dove into a lake in the middle of the night to save a little girl, risking his own life to save hers, to give her a second chance after all her torment. The way the author described everything was just plain terrifying - I can see why Minato adored it so much. 

Minato nodded enthusiastically. “The author’s coming out with a new book soon. I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited.” 

This may have actually been the happiest I’d ever seen him. He was so passionate. It felt like he actually melted my heart. I wanted so desperately for him to feel this way about me… And he wasn’t going to if I didn’t try.

“Minato?” I tried to compose myself in the split second I had to prepare myself.

His expression changed along with mine, both of us looking more serious, although he seemed a lot more concerned about what I had to say. “Is everything okay?”

“Well, there’s this thing happening, and I was wondering if you wanted to go.”

“Me too, actually. There’s a fireworks festival tonight and I was wondering if you might be free?” Minato asked nonchalantly. With zero effort. At all. Was I really being that big of a coward?

“Yeah, sure! That’d be great.” I responded with as much joy as I could muster. While I was a little mad, we were still going to the festival, and I didn’t have to face any form of embarrassment. I should probably be thankful more than anything. 

“What was the thing?”

“Huh?”

“You mentioned ‘a thing’ before I butted in. What was it?” 

“Oh, just, uh, Ryuji. He got back on the track team and we’re having a party for him at Le Blanc. I was going to invite you. To that. Yeah.” Minato looked back at me with a questioning expression - I stumbled over my words too easily. I just need to relax, take a deep breath, and keep calm. It’s okay - I can do this. 

“Right… So, anyway, I get off my shift in about 10 minutes. The show is at around 8, so let’s meet at the station around 7, sound good?”

“Sure thing. Wear something cute.” If I could throw him off the scent that I was even remotely nervous, then I could preserve my relaxed demeanour I assumed he associated me with. Unless he didn’t find me as appealing as I thought he did. 

Minato rolled his eyes with a smile on his face before turning away, focusing on the bookshelf behind him once again, prompting me to leave the store. 

The bell jingled behind me and I couldn’t help but stand in the doorway as the realisation rushed over me - I had a date. It actually happened. And Minato was the one who asked me. Sure, he didn’t use the word “date”, but I think I deserve to dream after sweating enough to fill the Nile. 

While my cheeks still glowed a rosy red, I made my way back to Le Blanc through the backstreets of the city. Thousands of thoughts clouded my mind - what should I wear? What would Minato wear? Should I bring a gift or would that be too much? What’s the best way I could confess? 

Too many questions. And I can’t exactly answer them all on my own. I brought out the phone in my pocket, scrolling through my contacts, selecting the only friend I could trust to give me reasonable advice on this. “Hey Kiki, what’s up?” Ann answered from the other end. 

I sighed, making my way up a set of steps before arriving near my destination. “Please stop calling me Kiki.” 

“I mean, I could, but Kiki sounds cute.” She giggled triumphantly. 

“Well, if you don’t, I won’t tell you about my date tonight.” There was an audible thump from the speaker, as if Ann herself had managed to fall over. Only after a series of rampant rustling did she actually respond. 

“You got a date?! Oh shit, is it with that bookstore guy?” She sounded so unbelievably excited; she was like a child at Christmas. This wasn’t surprising, however, as she was like this whenever anyone brought up romance. Ann truly was a lover at heart. “Nevermind, meet me at the mall, I’m already on my way!”

And just like that - before I could even confirm her theory - she hung up. Maybe she was a little too excited. Either way, I changed my course and made way for the underground mall instead of home.

Finally… this was actually happening.


End file.
